Chats, Challenges & Laughs 2nd home

[Cele21]

For all my Chats, Challenges & Laughs peeps! Since we can't get on the threads I thought I would start a discussion area for us. We may not be able to keep track of points standings easily but we can still talk.

I miss you!

[Katrin]

@MargaretG139you have a great memory. I do have the Calm app and I started with a free trial of a week or two, decided I liked it and did a years subscription and when that year was up and it was time to renew, I opted into the lifetime membership. I also use the sleep stories a lot, I try to do the daily meditation but it's hit or miss with me, and I've tried one of the series on mindfulness training but I'm not really very good at it and didn't continue after the first day. I highly recommend it - very affordable and really starts and ends my day on a great note! And, welcome back. It's great to hear from you again.

@Jan2512I share your covid frustration. My dad is 85 and he's been feeling poorly for this past week. Yesterday he woke up and couldn't get out of bed. My mom took him to the ER early in the morning. Due to the place being overrun by covidiots, it took until after 5pm for them to find him a room and that room was one that was built for 1 and currently has 2 beds in it - something I thought all US hospitals were doing away with due to HIPPA constraints. This isn't an ancient facility in a rundown part of town - this is a premier, globally recognized top notch facility in one of the wealthiest parts of the country and they couldn't find a bed after more than 8 hours because of this non-sense. My feeling is get vaccinated or don't but if your reason not to is you don't trust the "science" behind it, then don't trust the science at the hospital either. It's the same science pool. It's absolutely ridiculous to not get a vaccine and then expect the hospital to jump through hoops for you after the fact.

In other news, it is finally over with my ex. He was chatting me up quite a bit these past few weeks but I got tired of his passive voice, beating around the bush and asked him point blank what he wants. He wouldn't come out and say it so I offered him exactly what I want. He came back with why he can't/won't do some of these things including meeting my parents but we are at the dealbreaker point and this is non-negotiable. I'm officially done. He's angry about it but I find it juvenile - he's the one that broke up with me!

In other news, I got the job at Toast and start tomorrow with at home onboarding/training. It's been a whirlwind but I'm super excited and looking forward to learning something new. In case I didn't say it earlier, Toast sells software and hardware to the food service industry - restaurants, wineries, food trucks, etc. I never thought I could go into software sales but this is one area that my skills translate beautifully. Foodies are my people! The benefits are tremendous and I'll have a nice base salary plus commission and they subsidize the commission for the first 3 months while you ramp up so I'll be making money again real soon. I am so relieved!

I will try to be better about posting. Take care out there everyone, I know it's been a little chaotic lately between weather and covid cases increasing and back to school!

[ElaineJ27]

@Katrin , I’m sure you are feeling much better starting what appears to be just right for you with a more secure salary. 

Our hospitals are also full with COVID patients but two people that I know died last week from heart issues at ages 45 and 63. Further indications that I need to get healthier. 

Yesterday afternoon I went to the town homecoming of one of the small towns that consolidated for our school district. It was a very small version of a county fair. I wouldn’t have gone except one of my high school classmates and his wife were here from North Carolina. I walked around about half and hour before they arrived and saw only a few people I know. It could just be that I didn’t recognize anyone else!  The junk food didn’t tempt me and I spent over an hour in the town bar with an unsweetened iced tea and visited with them. 

I have meals and activities planned for the upcoming week. Hopefully I can muster up some follow-through. 

[Cele21]

Hi everyone!

Been a while since I posted. I post from work and work is still chaotic but getting a bit better. 

Hubby has been having issues with fatigue for about 6 months but the past two months it got worse. Saw the doctor who wants to rule out heart issues.

EKG in the doc's office showed nothing so he scheduled an Echocardiogram and a stress test. Required a Covid test prior to Echo and it came back positive! We were all fully vaccinated by April so this was weird - absolutely no symptoms (maybe the fatigue but it has been going on longer than an exposure to covid can account for). My son and I went and bought at home tests from Walgreens the evening his results came back - both negative. On a whim hubby took one too - negative. All three of us took a different brand of home test two days later - all negative. He called the doctor's office on Monday (this all originally occurred on Friday) and was told the hospital test is a better test (looked it up - better by less than 10%) and they would not re-test him. CDC guidelines say that positive tests should be re-tested right away based on how many people are actually sick in the area. We were all in quarantine for 10 days. Son and I went to Walgreens on Wednesday and had them do the rapid test - both negative. So my company let me back today - 1 day early. Hubby can go back tomorrow. Son already works from home for his main job but has to be off from his weekend job through next weekend. Through the entire time none of us had symptoms - no fever, coughing, breathing issues, we can smell and taste everything, no fatigue, etc. My company let me use a company laptop to work from home and allowed me in the office to pick up and drop off paperwork after hours when hardly any one was there - I was masked, used Purrell and wore gloves. Masking any time I'm away from my desk for at least this week too. Life is a rollercoaster at times but it's never boring LOL!

@Katrin - Congrats on the new job!

[CJ_Here]

Yes, @Katrin , on your new job.  It's sounds promising / stable / with steady income - yay!!!

Sounds like an awful lot to go through for all those negative tests, @Cele21 .  Hope Hubby is getting his energy back.

My hubby's daughter has had "the flu" for the past 29 days.  She's been tested for a number of things (covid tested multiple times) / everything negative; yet she is sick.  She's being referred to a GI specialist which I don't know if she's going to go (but how can she not) because she doesn't have insurance.  So far she has told us the testing / dr appts has run over $10,000.  I never agreed (secretly since she is over 40) that not having insurance due to cost, but instead take the penalty at tax time was the best way.  However, maybe her insurance would have had a $10,000 deductible.  But now what - I can't imagine how many years it will take her to dig out of this hole.  I wish I felt comfortable enough to call her and ask some questions, but I don't feel it is my place. 

Right now I'm 3.5 days binge-free.  I started back at OA on August 20th after 25+ years trying other means to lose and then keep off the weight. I felt like or did cry some through the first of a six week relapse workshop.  I am surrendering finally my hope that I can do this on my own.  The homework this week was to consider what my abstinence will look like.  I know this will change as my journey continues.  For now, I will not binge and will not eat certain baked goods that I really crave and/or know I have a problem with.  I will also stop eating things that I eat and then crave again.  

@ElaineJ27 , I hope you are being successful in follow through.

[Katrin]

Hi Everyone,

I know I've been MIA but I've thought about you all a lot so I appreciate your continued updates. For what it's worth, my best friend got a breakthrough case of the Delta variant in July and she still can't smell but had only what felt some allergies in terms of symptoms. The health department did phone assessments on her every single day for about 10 days because she was one of the earliest cases they'd seen in our state and wanted to study her. She caught it from someone at work who was not vaccinated and evidently was in and out of the hospital and on ventilation for about 3 weeks.

Meanwhile, I LOVE my job but right now it's a total whirlwind. I have a ton of training modules and shadowing to do and a variety of other tasks like a scavenger hunt through the various tools we use and uploading my "pitch" video that I've been rehearsing. Also, this company is highly focused on wellness - mental and physical. We have free access to an app called Ten Spot and it offers fitness training, meditation, cooking classes, trivia games and more. As a result, I've been incorporating some of those activities into my existing routine and on several days, have actually done 2 workouts. I did 8 total last week and took Sunday completely off so that was doubling up on 2 days.

I'm doing these for several reasons: 1. everyone I've met so far is slim, young and talented. I feel very old and fat and outdated by comparison. I can't fix my age but I can boost my fitness and my energy to more youthful standards. And, I think I'll need it. This job is BUSY! 2. This company really emphasizes wellness including a 1/4ly wellness stipend and access to all of these activities. Since it's obviously important to them, why not embrace it and be better for it! 3. All of the new hires in my "class" are in a competition and the top 3 out of about 74 of us will win something. I don't know what we win but right now I'm tied for 3rd. I would love to get the recognition and the prize to start my career here off right.

So anyway, as I did my aerobics video this morning (same one I've been doing periodically for years) I noticed that I had a much greater enthusiasm and energy level which I perceive as meaning I'm a little more fit than I was the last time - maybe 10 days ago. That was 48 minutes. After about 2 hours, I did one of the work videos which was a lower body strength video for 22 minutes. I've also done some yoga - power yoga and stretch&restore yoga which is new for me so I'm also mixing up my routine a bit and doing something different every single day. I'm hoping this will all pay off!

Gotta run - super busy - but I at least wanted to let you all know I'm thinking of you and I'm still around!

[Jan2512]

Oh to live in Melbourne!  The once "most livable city in the world" is in a total mess.  It is hard to imagine we held that title of "the most livable city in the world" for several years.  Now we hold the title of the city with the longest and harshest lockdown in the world.  Yes, we are still in lockdown and appears we will be in lockdown for at least another month.  This (our sixth) lockdown was supposed to be a snap seven day lockdown - that was about seven weeks ago (it could be longer, I've lost track).  Today we had 950 cases (the most we have had on one day since this all started in March last year) and seven people died.

We are also in a mess as supplies are not getting through to our supermarkets as truckies have been told they most get double vaxed or they can't work, so they have gone on strike.  Add to that the construction industry has been closed for a month as that is one of the biggest instances of covid outbreaks and the reluctance of many to get jabbed.  We have had days of protests (mostly rent-a-mob) in Melbourne - no masks, no social distancing and attacking police, police dogs and police horses, they are just scum.

Add to that we had a 5.8 earthquake.  I can honestly say I have never been so scared in my life.  We have had a lot of earth tremors over the years and a few small earthquakes, but this one felt like the whole house moved - side to side and up & down.  It lasted for about 15 to 20 seconds.  Fortunately there were no deaths or serious injuries but a lot of building particularly in the City were left with considerable damage.  We live about 200 km from the epicentre (about 125 miles).  It was so big it was felt in Tasmania (our island state that is located under Victoria) and NSW and the ACT to the north and South Australia to the west.

Add to that our team missed the Grand Final (after being the best team for the entire season) by playing their worse game of the year.  Then after being bundled out of the Final match in the preliminary final three of our players have been involved in a possible drugs scandal.  My team the Melbourne Storm are held in very high esteem, but just by other teams in the National Rugby League, but also by other sporting codes both in Australia and overseas, so this has been extremely disappointing.  One good thing is that the club will pay for our memberships next year so that saves my brother and I around $800 between us.

I hate to sound so negative, but with everything going on here - this latest lockdown has effected me more than any before, and the fact I am in a lot of pain.  I am having trouble walking, getting up and down in chairs, getting in and out of the car etc.  I can't stand for more than a few minutes, and this is the week I am off my medication.  Fortunately, my p

@Katrin - glad to hear you love your job.  I know first hand when you don't enjoy going to work it impacts so much of your life in general.

-  It is good your employer takes an interest in wellness.  My old job used to offer $300 per year to each employee to be used for gym membership, sneakers, blood pressure monitors etc, anything you could provide a receipt for that related to health or fitness.

@CJ_Here - How is your hubby's daughter?  Have they found out what is wrong with her?  

-  Medical costs here can be expensive but I don't think it is anything like the US.  I have private health insurance (had it since I was 18 and before that I was included on my parents insurance).  When I had my hip replaced in 2013 it cost $37,500 - I was out of pocket about $3000 and was able to have the op about three weeks after my consultation.  If I didn't have private health insurance I would have got it for free (or a small cost) but I would have been put on a waiting list and would probably have to wait about three years.  My Father was on tablets for his lung complaint that would have cost $3500 per month but because he was an aged pensioner he got them for $6.40 per month.

-  Are you still going to OA?  Is it working?

@Cele21 - How is your hubby?  Did he manage to get the echocardiogram after getting covid?

@ElaineJ27 - Sorry to hear about those people you know passing away.

-  Good to hear you weren't tempted by the treats at the homecoming.

@MargaretG139 - Hope you are well.

Glenda - You say you have not experienced lockdowns.  In one way that sounds good but looking at the stats and the cases and more importantly hospitalisation & deaths from covid in Texas I think lockdowns are a necessary evil.  I just think ours could have been handled much better - politics and certain politicians egos being allowed to take over.  

Well I'm off to the physio now, so take care & stay safe.

[Cele21]

Hi Everyone!

I'm still here, just super busy (as usual).

@Jan2512 - Hubby is going to delay his Echo as he is afraid he will test positive again and put us all back in quarantine. We are paying close attention to how tired he is, etc. and if anything gets worse I'll make him go. The forced rest of quarantining did wonders for his energy but he is looking a bit tired after working extra long days now.

My weight is still inching up. I still haven't decided how I want to approach my knee (cortisone again or gel) but will figure it out this month. I have decided that I am getting the surgery next year when I can afford the time off from work better. 

Everything else is pretty much status quo.

Hope you are all doing well and that we can get some updates.

Take care!

[Glenda]

Jan,  I'm so sorry you are in pain and having so much trouble and restricted mobility..  I hope it gets better.   I'm glad someone is helping you with it.   I've been reading about the shortage of truck drivers everywhere.  We really depend on them and it takes 3 months of training to drive those big trucks and the cost of the training is about $3000.00.  !!  I can't imagine what my house would be like after a 5.8 earthquake.  All of my windows leak without an earthquake.

CJ good job on the diet effort.  Having a goal and making a commitment probably has you halfway to success already.   I have a little goal to pay better attention and not eat anything that I don't even enjoy and after a disappointing bite throw out the rest of the cookie or whatever.  I don't really want to be a garbage disposal.  😀

Katrin good for you for your increased fitness effort.  I just read that only 15% of people exercise regularly and also that any little bit of exercise is very valuable.  Everything counts.  I googled about the best minimal exercise I could do (wouldn't you know) and the answer was sit to stand.    So lets not just sit.  Stand up every now and then?   

[CJ_Here]

Nice to read the posts.  I tried to hold thoughts from each of your posts in my head to respond to ... but couldn't remember long enough.  I have been working on crossword puzzles some and have been painting wooden fall leaves, trees, etc for an upcoming local craft fair.  I've been attending the OA zoom meetings and will be starting the steps soon.  It would be a good goal for me to only eat high quality, most enjoyable foods, @Glenda .  Most of my problems have come from eating large quantities of whatever - good, bad, indifferent. 

Through a double order my sister made, we now have a Slim Body exercise bike.  We haven't put it together yet ... maybe someday I'll know if it'll work for me, lol.  You can recline it into recumbent cycling so I'm hopeful.  Maybe tomorrow I should try and put it together myself.   

[Glenda]

CJ  You are so modest.  I think I can do ANYTHING. !!  Of course you should put that bike together.  Also I wonder if it would be helpful for you to put half as much food on your plate,  telling yourself you are going to eat the other half some number of minutes later.  or something. .  You might realize you don't really want more of the same stuff???    Sometimes I avoid eating more by drinking more coffee.  Coffee is good for you.

[ElaineJ27]

Sorry I haven’t posted since 9/12. I have been reading all your posts and offered prayers for you as appropriate. 

I have been busy. I kept saying that I didn’t know how I kept up when I worked but it occurred to me that I had routines in place for that stage of life. My current routines work for me now except that I have had quite a few special occasions. 

Two weeks ago, I volunteered at Prairieland Heritage Museum, a local historical organization that puts on a large steam show and fall festival every fall. This year I worked in the office as I am being trained to take on the duties of “retiring” workers. The average age of our members is 80. I had planned breakfast and lunch each day, but didn’t realize that I wouldn’t leave until 7 or 8, so I ended up doing drive through as I was tired and hungry. I also learned that I need to have easy meals the next few days following the event as I recover. 

This past weekend I had a BFF trip to Branson, Missouri for another Women of Joy conference. The speakers were all different from the ones I heard in August. I packed sandwiches for our Friday night meal and made good choices as we ate at restaurants the rest of the weekend. I did include a treat each day and was happy with my eating overall. 

About three weeks ago, I joined Noom. Hubby had asked if I had considered it after we saw a commercial and I told him that I didn’t want to try another program. A bit later I searched reviews and found that people really like the psychology just as the commercials state. I’m still in the honeymoon phase but I really do like the short lessons that I read everyday and have set up reminders to track my meals. I have lost 4 pounds since I started, even with my special treats and eating out. 

[Glenda]

 A suggestion for all you dieting ladies.     I wonder if you would enjoy Sweet, hot, air-popped  popcorn.  You get to eat a big bowl of it for not too many calories.  You must put on some spray Parkay "butter" (?no calories) to get seasoning to stick on.  But if you put on Jalapeño Popcorn Seasoning you will not need or miss salt.  Put on artificial sweetener.  Popcorn isn't easy to  eat and takes a long time compared to lots of food, like cookies or mashed potatoes and gravy.   I think it is a good diet food.  Maybe you could have some before a meal  just to get tired of eating maybe.  I cook 1/4 cup at a time.   Even if you count 1 calorie for each squirt of No-calorie-butter, the total still isn't too bad for a big bowl of food that takes a long time to eat..    

[Glenda]

Maybe I should have mentioned yesterday that I can make popcorn in the microwave in 1 minute and 55 seconds @ a power of 9, in a plastic lidded "Preston PowerPop  bowl.  It doesn't take much longer with my air popper.   I'm not much of a cook,  It has to be easy.  Are you surprised you can have popcorn without a load of salt?    It may be  more healthy than more  salty Popcorn?  Do you think?

[Jan2512]

Hi all, still in lockdown and going nowhere.

One good thing the pet groomers are now opened.  So, Daisie is going in tomorrow for the full pamper treatment.  She really needs a pedicure!  Her claws have got so long I think it is affecting her walking, but the groomers weren't open and none of us at home will do it as we are afraid of hurting her.  Unfortunately it is only pets that can be fussed, we have to wait for another couple of weeks before we can go to the hairdressers and as everyone wants to go the the hairdressers it may be next year before we get a hair cut.  Mum reckons she'll be still wearing a long pony tail at her 80th birthday next march (she is desperate to have it cut off).  Before my Mum started chemo back in 2018 she had her cut short (it was the first time in decades she had short hair) and it really suited her.  With the chemo she lost most of her hair, but the funny thing was when it grew back it was wavy as opposed the to dead straight hair she had before, and she still had all her colour (she's a natural red head and has less greys than I do).  She kept it on the short side as she really liked it, then the rolling lockdowns started and she now her hair is longer than it has been in years.

My contract with WW ends this month and I won't be renewing at this stage.  I've lost about 12 kg (about 25 lbs) but I don't feel like committing to anything at the moment.  I want to concentrate of fitness particularly as I am having so many problems with my knees, so I want to work on strengthening my thigh & calf muscles.  I will try to watch what I eat but I won't be logging food.  I also need to work on my sleeping patterns.  I don't get enough sleep unless I take sleeping medication.

Hope you and your loved ones are well both physically and mentally in this crazy crazy world in which we inhabit.

[Glenda]

@Jan2512 Cutting hair isn't difficult Jan.      DUCKDUCKGO or google " instructions for cutting women's hair medium short".  I'll bet you can do it easily, well enough.

[Katrin]

Hi Everyone,

I'm loving my bootcamp training but because I'm so busy, I don't have time for a lot of personal responses. Just popping in to say hi!

[CJ_Here]

Hello fitbit friends.  We've been busy getting Hubby's wood products ready for a craft fair showing this past weekend.  I got into painting leaves, trees, bears and pumpkins.  I found it relaxing and kept my hands busy.  I ended up overtired since I didn't sleep a couple days before the event and ended up binging a couple of days.  I'm back to eating sensibly.  I do know one of my trigger foods is popcorn.  Maybe if I limited myself to plain, air popped; but, I think I might over indulge on that, too.

Remember when we planted 4800 stalks of corn?  Well, now (mainly hubby) we have to chop down and haul them all away.  We had the city and friends that wanted for decorating but because of the drought we are guessing, they grew slow and so they never got to the stage of getting brown and dry.  We've salvaged some corn cobs for a friend's horses.  The compost pile at the local dump is getting a huge pile of green stalks.  At least, in time, they will be of some use.

Haven't started using the exercise bike yet; or walking; or putting away the yard decorations or ...   I have been attending a number of zoom OA meetings.  That's about it for me.  Oh, covid cases are on the rise again around here, but with no increase in restrictions.  We try to stay distanced and hand sanitize.  It's hard to give up the freedoms after this past year's lockdowns.  I feel for you, @Jan2512 .

[Jan2512]

Hi Everyone, we all seem to have gone very quiet lately.  

As of last Friday the worlds longest lockdown has stopped.  We no longer have a curfew and the 15km travel restriction has been removed.  Although people here called it "Freedom Day" (after the British "Freedom Day" earlier this year) it is not really "freedom" that will be more applicable this coming Friday (29th October) when we are on target to hit 80% fully vaxed.  At 6pm on the 29th all retail can open, so can theatres, cinemas and gyms.  There will be density requirements and QR codes.  Non vaxed people can be turned away.  We will still need to wear masks in indoor settings.  When we reach 90% fully vaxed (anticipated to be November 24) we can ditch the masks except for high risk places such as public transport including taxis and uber, hospitals and aged care facilities.  Also density limits will be increased.  So, things here are looking up.

My brother (Roy) has got some regular casual work with Australia Post, he likes it, the hours are a bit awkward midday to 8 pm Monday to Friday.  There is also some overtime on Saturdays due to the amount of online shopping and with Christmas just around the corner.  Even it it ends at Christmas that will be 9 - 10 weeks work plus they pay into his superannuation.

I am in the wars.  I have a cold - not covid - I had a covid test earlier this month as Roy needed one before he started work and so I thought I'd go with him and have a test too, both were negative.  Roy has to have a rapid antigen test every day before his shift.  I don't think it is the 'flu as I don't feel that body aches and exhaustion.  I just have a sore throat, and my right ear feels like it is full of water, my face is also a bit swollen on the right side.  I am tired but that is due to lack of sleep.  My left knee and shoulder are giving me a lot of problems and I have to sleep on my right side which gets uncomfortable after awhile.  Thankfully remedial massage will be available as of Friday, I could not get a booking until November 12th but I have booked in for a 90 minute massage.  I also booked in for one just before Christmas as I know that it will be a busy time.  I really want to go to the hairdressers.  Until this weekend they can only have five fully vaxed customers at a time.  From this weekend the density limits kick in so they can accommodate more clients.  I went to our large shopping mall on Sunday to pick up a "click & collect" purchase and the queues outside hairdressers and barbers were unreal.  As much as I need to cut about three inches off I am not willing (or for that matter able to) wait in long queues for possible more than an hour.

Weather here is getting more spring like, but we are still getting plenty of rain.  The last two days have been lovely with temps around 18C (65F), we are going to have a couple of warmer days around 26C (79F), then in typical Melbourne style it drops again and rains.

I hope this forum hasn't finished.  I really enjoy having in insight into your worlds, especially living on another continent.  As I have said before I am often amused and amazed at how different yet similar our lives are and the differences in our use of the English language is fascinating.  

Take care & keep safe.

[reszy]

Lw 307

Cw 295

Been awhile too. 

Well I retired and made my wife retired too. Been 3 months.  We both signed up for yoga and lite aerobics class. Now that covid is tapering,  my doctor called me to come back for regular check up. I found my BP is higher.  Lvl2 hypertension.  So they changed my meds. Doctor asked if I was stressed,  I said being retired is great ? No worries.  I am happy new Zealand and Australia is returning to some sort of normal.  Hope the best.

[Katrin]

Hi Everyone,

My apologies for going MIA. I miss you all but it has been a whirlwind at my new job and continues to be through the end of day Friday. I need to complete 2 more appointments to earn my first months bonus and I only have 2 scheduled. However, I've had 3 previously scheduled that no-showed so I've only completed 3 out of the 5 total I need. This fills me with anxiety and means I'm really hustling to make everything happen that I need to.

I'll try to check in a little more frequently but I hope everyone is doing well. Even if you are not, I still love to hear from you!